, 1887-03-17
Cl'c St'r2ht9 SvQlI5.


TEA.mNa ras r.-.E. .-s .T-r .>rrrEE
--E-ErE s.. ... ..n.
The following Interesting ..uount
of school lir ~ ,-.u.rr.e. California.
lui,-lN, Is taken from E.ra.r. Howe
Bancgvit'~ history .f California.
1t would seem that. w.s#. l...r. .....l
th'r" " point II r,-.uu'..... tl..
Monterey school III r.ura--.- with
even the most primitive ,ar-vu..Is
establishment nl the A,lnt.a states
at the same epoch. Wa very rulr
institution, worthy u. ua praise hat
tor the fact thar human beings aid
there learn to read and write. Rude
benches extended along the sides Of
long, low, adobe room. with dirty
unpaInted walls On platform at
one end sat the s1.dicr-ma-tgT of
fierce WarlIke meiu. clad in fantastic
greasy garments, with frrule il hand.
On the wall over his head or Just at
one side was great green cross and
a picture OF saint, To which each
boy came, on entering the room, 10
say bendi TO aloud. Then lie ap
preached the platform to salute the
master by kissing his hand. and re
celve beloved permission 10 take
his seat, which he did 10y throwing
his hat on a pile il a corner: and. a
soon as large boy had shown him
the place, began TO read his lesson as
loud as his throat and lungs would
permit, or, if learning 10 write, lie
ruled his sheat OF paper with a piece
OF lead, and went 10 the master for a
quill and copy. Vt 4 certain hour
the copies were examined. and the
ferule was in constant motion at that
hour. Here Is blot. You young
rascal Pardon. master; | will DO it
better tomorrow Hold out your
hand"-thus ran the usual prelimin.
ary conversation. \ more terrible
implement OF torture than the frrule,
however, lay on the masters table
hempen scOurge with many iron
pointed lashes, held in reserve for
serious otfenses, such as laughing
aloud, running in the street, playing
truant, spilling ink, OF worst of all
failing to know the Christian doc
trine. The guilty child was stripped
of his shirt, often his only garment.
and stretched on a bench with 4
handkerchief stuffed in his mouth. to
receive the dread inhiction. The
course of study was six months or
year of primer, or \, B, G; SIX
months OF the Christian cation, or
second book, mass of stuDiu and
worse than useless study: reading
manuscript letters of officers, padres,
old women, or the master himself;
writing from eight grades of copies,
from straight marks to words; and
finally the four rules Of arithmetic,
with more doctrina Christaiana This
last all-importaut branch was learned
chiefly from Ripada's catechism. the
bete noir OF every Spanish child, 10
be learned entire by heart, and re-
cited IN q monOtOCous sing sOng-a
perpetual torment, every page of
which involved more than one scourg-
ing. Saturday was day ot5examin-
alton and especial torture, when each
pupil had to tell ali ne knew OF Rida-
da, unless good luck or a kind provi-
dence sent an ever welcome broken
head, lever, or colera morbus as a
temporary respite. Mothers some
tunes showed sympathy for child's
sutferings; but fathe. never.
On the arrival of a ship it was Gus
tomarV to let children run 10 the
shore. Once at such a time, despite
the masters warning to.be caAful,
the gatera was left open, the room
was found occupied by hens, which
had overturned divers ink bottles,
and made sad work with some neatly
copied habilitado's accounts, which
We're to have been sent TO Mexico.
OF course general application of
the scOrge was in order; the big boys
were called on for the usual assistance
in holding the feet of the first VIC
TINS; but they fatty refused. and
drove the master from the room.
This unparrelled revolt created a
commotion as the provincial capital
but Sola (the goyeruor) settled the
trouble and restored order by par
doning the boys on promise of good
behavior"